Family Matters
by AnotherYourslf
Summary: This is set in current day with the angst and heartache that plagues Drew and Sam. My take on how a family holiday might be experienced on screen for them with Easter at the Quartermaine mansion.


FAMILY MATTERS

 _AU An Easter family gathering at the Quartermaine's allows Drew and Sam the opportunity to let down their walls and see at the center of their bond is the love of their daughter. I do not own the characters or their history of the show. This is a one-shot._

 _Rated: K_

Monica sees Drew off in the distance waiting for the elevator at General Hospital and hustles over to catch him before the opportunity escapes her. "Hey Drew, I'm glad I…" she trailed off as he turns to her and she notices the bruising and cuts on his face. She immediately wants to jump into doctor and mother mode and has to stop herself from launching into a thousand questions when she sees recognizes the sadness in his eyes. At that moment she flashed to some of the times she saw it her late husband and each of their sons and now her other son.

"I guess I won't ask if you're okay as that is rhetorical, but son are you here because of this?" Drew can't seem to keep eye contact with her with his growing feeling of guilt mounting with each moment that passes knowing that his mother must feel less of him seeing him in this condition.

"Hi Mom, thank you for your concern and I appreciate it, but I'm actually here to have my hand checked out as for this" he motions towards his battered face "well that is nothing compared to what I'm experiencing right now."

Monica knew that her son seems troubled and with the tone of his voice she was quite sure it had something to do with Sam and her other son. "Drew you don't have to tell me what happened, but I want you to know that no matter what my door and heart are always open to you. My loyalty is to the love of my family and even though I always want to see the best in them that doesn't mean they are not without their faults. Honey I watched for years AJ and Jason constantly battle one another, well I guess sadly you know that don't you?"

Drew agreed and sadly partially smiled at her awareness to his inner hell being trapped with Jason's memories and then to add to all of that made worse to learn that his wife was in love with them both.

Sensing that Drew's heart was heavy and not knowing how much to push the issue she thought back to the reason she actually wanted to flag him down in the first place. "I'm sorry for what you are going through Drew, I never imagined how much pain all of this would have on you and the kind of disruption and upheaval it would cause to your life. Just know that I'm here for you and I love you."

"Thank you Moni…Mom it really means a great deal to still have certain parts of my life that are a constant and now more than ever I need that stability and confidence of that love."

"Listen, Easter is coming up and I know this might now be the best timing, but now seeing you today I think my idea would benefit you as well. So…I decided this year to celebrate the holiday with a family style Easter egg hunt at the mansion and I would love for you and Sam and the kids to be a part of the festivities. I'm not sure if you've already made plans…". Drew chimes in to stop her almost flinching at the thought of his family and the possibility of those precious moments ever being whole again.

"Mom, there's no easy way to say this besides coming right out and saying it so before you hear this from someone else Sam and I have split up. I won't go into the particulars, but I will say that with Jason returning it has in fact sent our lives and her heart into a tailspin and she recently confessed that she is in love with the both of us. I couldn't stand the pain of him being between us so I left the Penthouse and took off my ring" as he motions to his naked finger.

"It was the hardest thing I've had to do, but she can't commit to me or our marriage and although she pleaded with me to stay I felt suffocated by everything that was Jason being there. I love my family and believe me I gave it everything I had and I wished that it was enough, but unfortunately there is no easy resolution to this situation and she's got to be the one to find who and what kind of life she wants now."

"Drew, say no more son I'm so sorry to hear that things have gone to this extent, but there is one thing that hasn't changed and that is WE are family and your love for that amazing granddaughter of mine so originally my invitation was for the festivities, but given what you just shared how would you feel dressing up at the Easter bunny?"

Drew's eyes widened and she knew he was about to refuse, but then he spoke "actually that sounds like a perfect idea Mom because it will give me a chance to watch my baby girl truly enjoy her first Easter and I can be close to Sam without her feeling pressured to interact with me. So my answer is yes and well believe or not I would do anything to bring a smile my kid's face. Thank you for the invitation and the idea, I might need some help with the costume and come to think of it this will be the perfect cover so that Scout doesn't have to see my face this way."

Drew arrives at the mansion early that day with a few extra accessories he brought for his family hoping they would make the day that much more special. He rang the doorbell and Alice answered and ushered him to a nearby room knowing that he was supposed to be hidden so the kids wouldn't question where he disappeared to once the Easter Bunny came out.

"Mr. Drew please wait in here Mrs. Q wants to speak to you before you come out."

Drew nodded his head and waited for Monica to arrive once she did they spoke briefly about the costume and timing of all of it. Just then Sam walks around the corner looking for Monica to let her know that her and the kids were all set-up.

Sam overhears Monica and Drew talking about the importance of his bond with his daughter and that above everything going on her happiness is what is most important. Drew tells his mother that he misses his family and the simple things like changing her diaper or tucking her in at night he also feels lonely and reaches for Sam. Sam grips her chest at his tender words as a lone tear flows down her cheek, she quickly dashes away before either of them find she was there.

Drew comes out dressed as the Easter bunny and the kids surround him, but there is one little girl that has his immediate attention as she stares at him and for a brief moment he didn't know if she was scared at the costume, but he knew he couldn't take it off and devastate the magic of the holiday and the children's fantasies. He decided to have her watch him give out the special eggs Monica had decorated and filled with candies and money to a few of the other kids first and her eyes came wide looking at a pretty pink egg that had sparkling jewels and he saw her hand reach for him and in that moment he couldn't stop the tears that ran from his eyes grateful that the mask shielded him from the rest of the on lookers.

He knelt down and brought the egg to her tender hands and Sam appeared closely behind her as her walking was still early on and she occasionally stumbled. As Scout reached for the egg she lunged forward and fell into his arms and he finally exhaled having his daughter even briefly in his arms. Sam immediately came forward and whispered for Scout to the tell the Easter Bunny thank you. Scout signed thank you and gave the bunny a brief open mouth kiss on the bunny's cheek in the most adorable display of a toddler's affection. Scout suddenly said something that surprised the three of them "Da da" "Da da" and patted the mask. Drew brought his injured hand to his mask and tried to play it off. Sam was taken back and realized there was something about this man that no matter the costume or bandages people could see through to his generous heart herself included.

Then to make matters even more funny Drew took another egg of the basket that had anchors on it and handed it to Sam not knowing if she would accept it or not he had to try. At first, she hesitated and then suddenly Danny appeared and took charge of matters and explained to his dazed mother that "mom the Easter bunny is giving you an egg too, take it mommy."

Sam shook her head and finally cleared her thoughts and wouldn't you know that her boy was trying to help Drew out and he signaled to Danny like he had been worried she wouldn't swiped the brow of the mask and signed thank you and opened his arms to hug the boy.

Danny hugged the bunny and thanked him for his own special egg and took his sister's hand to go show her where the eggs had been hidden. Drew and Sam stood up slowly never taking their eyes off of the kids and she went to hand it back to him and he held his hands up adamantly to say no and protest and pushed it back to her and motioned for her to go sit down and open it. As Drew was going to depart to give her space Sam grabbed his left hand costumed hand and squeezed it and told him thank you.

Trying to pull back the tears that were brimming in her eyes Drew decided to try and lighten the mood by spinning around and showing off his tail and modeling his full outfit for her. He leaned in close just so that no one else could hear him speak and said "No matter how far we drift apart you and our family are still what guide me."

After Drew left Sam went and sat in lila's rose garden on a small bench and opened the egg she instantly saw what resembled a fortune and an unpolished heart shaped rock and a tiny bag of what looked like sand. She took the paper out and read it to herself aloud as Drew peaked around the corner. The note read that this stone had weathered many years of hardship and still remained intact with a little work the true beauty can be unmasked if you try. Hold this stone as a reminder of our bond, though it is battered and covered with a mess given time it will shine again. I love you Sam now, forever and beyond.

Sam had tears freely streaming down her face at this point and Drew too and in that moment they both hoped that the tide was turning and there would be peace in their lives again.


End file.
